As school resumes, think safety first

Tires squeeled, followed shortly thereafter by the dull thud of cars colliding.

That was the scene Tuesday afternoon near the intersection of Main Street and Ida Street, and the collision instantly led to a traffic jam. Of course, traffic was slow to begin with thanks to the Main Street Project construction.

The accident came just one day before Lansing students returned to school for the fall semester, and it serves as a reminder that drivers should use extra caution on the roads.

The speed limit at the intersection has been lowered to 30 miles per hour, and drivers should abide by it for a number of reasons, and all are related to safety.

Construction vehicles and workers are constantly moving in the area, and the one lane of traffic in each direction leaves little time to react if someone or something enters your path.

Plus, the intersection is a matter of blocks from all of the Lansing schools. Every day students are walking or riding bikes to and from school, and their safety should be of utmost importance to everyone in the community.

Traffic jams are about to get a lot worse with the back-to-school traffic beginning, but remember to stay calm and be patient. Safety should be your top priority. If it's not, then the Lansing Police will be happy to write you a ticket.